Large ‘power banks’ banned from airplanes

Passengers will no longer be able to take big spare batteries to charge their devices onto planes at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

On Saturday the airport announced that no more than two so-called “power banks” can be taken onto planes, and they must have a capacity of 32,000 mAh or less. No such devices can be left in checked luggage.

Thai Airways recently posted an infographic on their fanpage about new rule.

Airport officials said it was in response to growing safety concerns over lithium-ion batteries, which can overheat and catch fire. Pressure has been mounting this year for the aviation industry to ban them.

Boeing’s fleet of 787 superliner jets was grounded last year after some of its new, large lithium-ion batteries caught fire.